“What’s wrong, Charlotte? Where are you going?”
“I’m embarrassed, so I’m running away to the training grounds!!!”
“…?”
Noticing Charlotte hurriedly running out of the mansion, Julia tilted her head in confusion.
Charlotte, who normally felt no shame, was blushing deeply.
What could have possibly happened this time?
“Ahh! That man loves teasing me too much!”
“Well, it’s only natural. Aslan treats you like a kid. I think it’d be harder for him not to tease you.”
“…”
Oh, I think I understand now.
It must have been Aslan teasing Charlotte, as usual.
Julia chuckled knowingly, and Charlotte’s expression turned a bit sour.
“You talk like you aren’t treated like a child.”
“Of course! Aslan probably sees me as a young lady… maybe? Probably?”
“Adding ‘maybe’ and ‘probably’ just means it’s not true! I understand words that complicated!”
“Anyway, compared to you, I’m treated much more like an adult!”
“What?”
“Well, it’s only natural. I’m older than you, after all.”
“Ugh…”
Julia’s confident smile only made Charlotte puff out her cheeks.
Acting all grown-up like that!
Every time Julia boasted about things like this, Charlotte couldn’t help but get annoyed.
“Aslan just doesn’t tease you as much because you’d get too angry if he treated you like a kid. How do you not realize that by now?”
“Huh? Huhhh!?”
“To Aslan, you and I probably look the same — like little kids. If you keep acting like this, you’ll look desperate, like you’re worried I’ll steal him from you.”
“Ch-Charlotte…!!!”
This time, Julia’s face turned bright red.
What nonsense is she spouting?
What’s so wrong about wanting to be treated like a proper young lady?
Why does that make her look desperate?
Gosh, how ridiculous.
Julia fanned her flushed face and glared at Charlotte.
That smug look… so infuriating.
“Maybe you like Aslan, Charlotte?”
“Huh? I told you, I like him. You’re the only one who hides it and gets embarrassed.”
“No, I don’t mean it like that. You said before you were frustrated with me because I hadn’t realized my feelings for Aslan. So, what’s this time? Are you secretly aiming to be the Countess too and getting jealous because I’m ahead?”
“…Ugh.”
Charlotte flinched as if hit right where it hurt.
What?
I hadn’t even thought that far. I was just teasing her because I was annoyed.
Me, aiming to be Countess?
Jealous because Julia is ahead of me?
No way.
I’ve already decided to make her the Countess…
“No, that’s not it! I was just frustrated because you’re taking so long! You said you wanted to become the Countess, but you haven’t made any progress at all! You should take some action already.”
“Hmph. Ever heard of a ‘slow starter’? I’m preparing everything so I can strike at the perfect moment.”
“Pfft. What exactly are you going to do? You haven’t even gotten a hug from him yet.”
“A h-hug!? Well, did you get one?”
“Umm…”
Charlotte hesitated for a moment.
Though she had hugged Aslan a few times, he had never initiated one.
It was always her who hugged him tightly, and he just stood there.
“Fine, then let’s compete! Whoever gets a hug from Aslan first wins!”
“Hmm. Challenge accepted.”
“What should we bet?”
“The loser runs ten laps around the field! How about that?”
“Deal!”
A hug from Aslan?
Charlotte, are you crazy?
How could she not be embarrassed by something like that?
But then…
‘Well, if I’m going to be the Countess someday, it’s a step I’d have to take eventually, right?’
Come to think of it, it’s not that big of a deal. It might take some time, but it’s not impossible.
So, she’ll just take her time and approach it calmly.
“I’m sorry I teased you so much. I should’ve stopped sooner.”
“I’m so glad! I’m glad you don’t hate me, Mister…!”
Suddenly, Charlotte naturally burrowed into Aslan’s arms.
And just as naturally, Aslan’s hand moved to wrap around her, embracing her tightly.
‘Ahhh! Charlotte, you…!’
And then, peeking over Aslan’s shoulder, Charlotte shot a sly smile at Julia.
She had just been crying, but now that smile showed it had all been an act!
Julia stood there dumbfounded, while Aslan, clueless, gently patted Charlotte’s head.
‘That’s unfair!’
You hugged him first!
And then you cried, so of course anyone would comfort you!
This competition doesn’t count!
Julia silently screamed in frustration, but Charlotte just stuck out her tongue and gave her a playful “meh”.
***
“Hah! Huff! So tired!”
“Julia, running? That’s unusual.”
“I guess staying cooped up indoors made her restless. She does need exercise now and then.”
Smiling brightly, Charlotte gazed out the window.
Outside, Julia was running around the training field, panting heavily — a rare sight.
Normally, she’d never run more than a lap during her morning jog.
Did they make a bet or something?
The way Julia occasionally glared up at Charlotte suggested it was no light wager.
“Did you two have a fight again?” “It wasn’t a fight. Julia’s just being petty because she lost.”
“…”
Charlotte’s slightly irritated tone confirmed they had, in fact, argued.
About what this time?
Perhaps another heated debate over who would become Aslan’s wife?
It’s not really something worth fighting over, considering they could both marry him, right?
But the issue always comes back to Yuri.
He’s always the problem.
“Oh, a letter! Mister, should I get it?”
“Please.”
“Sure…!”
Smiling brightly, Charlotte ran off to fetch the letter.
She returned a little later, arms full of letters, having taken longer due to dropping several on the way back.
It couldn’t be helped.
The flatness of the container makes it impossible for it not to spill.
“Whoa! I brought everything!”
“…”
Charlotte, finally managing to carry all the letters, dumped them onto my desk and immediately began sorting through them.
“This one is for sister Mirabel. This one is for sister Ari, and this one is for sister Miro. Oh, and this one is from …Aunt Silverin!”
Does she know all the names of the maids?
Well, considering she greets and chats with them every day, it makes sense.
Julia seems a bit shy and awkward around them, so I doubt she knows all their names.
“This one… is a letter for you, Mister. This one is also for you. And this one too… Wow, there are so many letters addressed to you…!”
Swish!
Charlotte took more than half of the pile and laid it out in front of me. So many letters for me? That can’t be right.
‘First, one letter is from the Archduke of the North…’
I quickly pulled it out and unfolded it.
It was a message saying that the Monster Wave had been successfully defeated, and thankfully, there had been no casualties.
Then what could the rest be about?
“Count Shuchecin, Baron Castia, Count Marceau…?”
These letters came from places I had no connection to at all.
The commonality among them was that they were all influential families.
Most were counts, and among them were a few dukes and some barons, all of whom held positions of power in the central region, so they were not families to be taken lightly.
What could these nobles want with me?
Could it be that they’re worried about the rapid rise of the Vermont family and are trying to keep me in check?
Feeling tense, I swallowed hard and tore open the rest of the letters.
– Greetings, Count Vermont. It has been twelve years since we last met at the ball. I’m writing to inquire if you might be open to a marriage proposal for my third daughter…
– … I cannot help but admire your achievements, Count. I understand you are still unmarried, and if it’s not too much trouble, would you be interested in meeting my eldest daughter…?
– … I would like to ask for your thoughts on marrying one of my daughters.
My hands froze.
All of these letters are marriage proposals?
Didn’t Irene spread rumors about my s*xual preferences that cut off all such proposals?
‘Ah, perhaps they feel threatened now that I’m getting close to the Empress and the Archduke of the North…’
Indeed, the standing of the Vermont family has been rising at a remarkable pace lately.
We are now on friendly terms with the Empress, visiting the palace as if it were our home.
Now, we even have a cordial relationship with the Duke of the North.
With the Vermont family growing this influential, it would be unimaginable for us to remain neutral without choosing a faction.
From the perspective of the nobles, it’s only natural for them to feel anxious.
At this point, worrying about rumors concerning the Vermont family isn’t a priority.
Instead, a serious competition for marriage to recruit the Vermont family into their factions has begun.
“What’s going on? What is it?”
“They’re all proposing marriage to me. The season when old maids start to feel lonely is fast approaching.”
“Marriage proposal? What’s that?”
“It refers to discussions about marriage.”
“W-What? Are you going to go through with it?”
Charlotte looked up at me with a somewhat uneasy expression.
Does she dislike the idea of me getting married?
Suddenly, I felt a surge of happiness.
“I should at least consider it.”
“Why? Are you in a hurry to get married? Do you want to do it quickly?”
“Not really. It’s just that it feels awkward to refuse these kinds of things outright in writing. Also, these proposals often come with other deals that are the main purpose. It might be better to discuss those deals without the marriage involved.”
“Oh! I see! Well, I suppose it’s fine for you to marry later. We’re here, after all.”
“…!?”
“Because of us, the mansion is always lively, so you won’t feel lonely, right?”
“Y-Yeah.”
Charlotte’s sudden compliment made my mind go blank for a moment.
Regaining my composure, I picked up the last unopened letter.
Ah, this one?
‘It’s a letter from Yuri.’
Unlike the anxious letters from nobles that made my chest feel tight and my head ache, this was a letter I could open without any worries.
I wondered what it contained.
Was it about classes resuming starting today?
– Mr. Black, I have a dilemma. Oh, first, this is all a secret. You absolutely must not tell anyone else.
Okay, what’s the dilemma?
Go ahead and tell me.
I’ll do my best to solve it.
– There’s someone I wish would see me as a romantic interest. But that person just doesn’t see me that way, no matter what I do. It’s driving me crazy…
Hmm. Could it be that you look too much like a parasite?
How about doing some muscle-building exercises?
I was about to write that as my response.
– That person is actually the owner of the company you introduced me to before. It’s Count Vermont. How can I make him see me as a romantic interest? I’m writing this letter to seek your advice, mustering my courage.
For a moment, my brain froze.
